Temple of the Archangel Michael in the village of Novlenskoye. Heroes of the USSR From a simple worker to an officer of the Red Army

He is the first in the list of those who covered the fire of an enemy machine gun.

So Alexander Pankratov
was in 1938.

24 August 1941 political instructor of the company of the 125th tank regiment of the 28th tank division Northwestern Front Alexander Pankratov in the battles near Novgorod rushed to the enemy machine gun and with his chest closed his comrades from the destructive fire.

“... Younger political instructor Alexander Pankratov died the death of the brave. With his body, he covered the enemy machine gun, from which the German officer began to fire at the detachment, armed with only rifles. The soldiers brutally took revenge on the fascists for the death of the political instructor, ”the Pravda newspaper briefly reported on November 20, 1941.
About the great feat of the political commander of the company of the 125th tank regiment of the 28th tank division of the North-Western Front, Alexander Pankratov, was briefly described in the central newspaper, in a few lines. Self-sacrifice for the sake of comrades in arms is the sacred tradition of the Russian army. In each of the many wars in which our soldiers and officers had a chance to fight, there were such examples. To close a comrade with your chest from the enemy's striking blade or bayonet, many defenders of the Fatherland were ready from his bullet. However, during the Great Patriotic War, a special feat of self-sacrifice appeared. The heroes covered with their chests from machine-gun fire not their individual comrades, but the unit as a whole. And the first to accomplish such a feat was the junior political instructor Alexander Pankratov.
Sources give different figures. One of them indicates that the same as the junior political instructor Alexander Pankratov, more than 200 soldiers performed a feat during the Great Patriotic War. Others cite other data: more than 300, more than 400. It is said that Alexander Matrosov, whose feat in the fall of 1943, the Soviet press, following the corresponding order of Stalin, called "an example of valor and heroism for all soldiers," was already 59 m. Another source claims that the 45th. In any case, it is obvious that the feat accomplished by the junior political instructor Alexander Pankratov became widespread during the war. And this gives it a special moral and historical significance.
“… On August 23, subunits of the 28th division launched an offensive on the left flank. Location on
The 125th regiment of Major Kurov showed success: the second battalion of Senior Lieutenant Osadchy with a swift attack drove the Nazis from the Gorodishche and went to the railway embankment. But a barrage of fire pressed them to the ground, - Ivan Nikolayevich Vyazinin, a front-line soldier, scientist and ethnographer, spoke about the cruel August battles of 1941 near Veliky Novgorod in the essay "First on the Great List". - “Oh, and it's hard for ours now! - someone said next to Pankratov. - And we can not help. "
“How can we not? - flashed through the head of the political instructor. - It's time to strike now, when the Nazis transferred all the fire to the second battalion. But where is the company commander? Time is running out. "
At the moment when the fate of the operation was being decided, Pankratov shouted: “For the Motherland! Forward!" - and jumped out of the trench.
- Forward! - picked up company lieutenant Platonov from the other side.
An attack in an adjacent area stunned the enemy. While Hitler's officers were transferring fire and rebuilding their ranks to face the enemy, the third company of the first battalion had already burst into their location. The Fritzes had no choice but to retreat, escaping by swimming and on boats through Volkhovets.
- Well done, Konstantinitch. While I was on the left flank, deciding what to do, you had already figured out and hit the very spot.
Meanwhile, the sun was covered with clouds, the wind suddenly blew, a wave went on a spree on Volkhovets, the rain froze.
“To anchor at the line,” Lieutenant Platonov gave the command. “The first platoon should move into the outposts closer to the shore and dig in as quickly as possible. The rest - to occupy the enemy trenches, post observers and rest.
- And perhaps, to open new trenches in the direction of the Fritzes, commander?
- No, political instructor, this will tire the fighters, and apparently, we will soon be back in battle. So let's rest too.
They did not have time to settle in a spacious dugout behind the church, as the company commander was summoned to the battalion commander. Returned soon.
- As I thought, the order was received to continue the offensive. We have been tasked with crossing Volkhovets at night and at four-thirty, while the Fritzes are sleeping, at the signal of a green rocket, attack the Kirillov Monastery. The fifty-fifth regiment will be advancing to our right. So, another three hours to rest and - for business. Yes, I forgot to congratulate you: the division commander Chernyakhovsky himself called and asked to convey personal gratitude for Spas-Nereditsa.
In complete silence, the guns were put forward for direct fire, carefully adjusted the equipment, stocked up with ammunition. Separate teams pulled up to the river, and where they carried rafts and boats.
When preparations were completed in the third company, political instructor Pankratov gathered the communists. He was laconic:
“Our company now has seventy-nine fighters, not counting the commander and myself. We fought well for the Settlement and Spas-Nereditsa. Today we will attack the Kirillov Monastery. I hope and believe that the communists, as always, will be ahead.
And the rain meanwhile kept drizzling and drizzling. The soldiers silently pushed boats into the water, just as noiselessly plunged into them. On the first one the political instructor went with the soldiers. The company commander remained on the shore, speeding up the crossing.
- Calmly, without knocking and splashes! - Pankratov reminded the paratroopers. - Out on land - lie down, listen and crawl up to a hundred meters, take up defense.
The boats bumped gently against the opposite muddy bank. The fighters, one after another, in bellies, unmown sedge, began to advance towards the blackening bulk of the monastery. In the meantime, the boats crossed Volkhovets several more times and delivered the entire third company to the island.

Having used up all the cartridges and grenades, Pankratov leaned on the enemy's machine gun with his chest

The last shot through the eyes of an artist.

There was still half an hour before the start of the general offensive. On the eastern fringes of the clouds, a timid reflection of dawn glowed. But for some reason nothing was noticeable at the neighbor - the 55th regiment, with whom they were to go to the assault. Pankratov waited, waited with a feeling, understandable only to those who at least once went on the attack. He thought about his fate and worried about his comrades ... "
Future Hero Soviet Union junior political instructor Alexander Konstantinovich Pankratov was born on March 10, 1917 in the village of Abakshino, Vologda province. In the family, besides him, three more children were brought up. At the age of five, Alexander lost his father.
He graduated with honors from Rakhulevskaya primary school, and then - the Agafonov school of working youth. In 1931 Alexander left for Vologda. There I entered the 7th grade. At the same time he studied to be an electrician. In 1934 he graduated from the factory apprenticeship school (FZU) at the Severny Kommunar plant, receiving the specialty of a metal turner. In February 1935 he got a job in the fire-picking shop of the Vologda steam locomotive repair plant, where he worked as a turner. Alexander was a member of the Stakhanov movement, a member of the Osoaviakhim circle.
In October 1938, Alexander Pankratov was drafted into the ranks of the Red Army. He was sent to Smolensk, to the 32nd training battalion of the 21st tank brigade. After a while, the young fighter became the secretary of the company's Komsomol organization. He immediately attracted the attention of the command. Therefore, it is no coincidence that in August 1939 Alexander was sent to courses for junior political instructors of the Belarusian Military District in Gomel. And here Pankratov managed to prove himself from the best side. Alexander, as one of the most capable cadets, was sent to the Smolensk military-political school in January 1940. In April of the same year, he joined the ranks of the CPSU (b). On January 18, 1941, Alexander Pankratov graduated from college. He was awarded the military rank of junior political instructor.
Years later, the hero's sister Evstolia Konstantinovna, at a meeting with the pioneers of the Alexander Pankratov squad of school No. 8 in Novgorod, said:
“When the time came to go to the army, Alexander received a privilege, because his mother was in his care. But Sasha wanted to become a military man, and his mother agreed ...
October 8, 1938 remained forever in my memory. They arranged a farewell evening at my house. Sasha had a good voice. He especially liked the then popular song "The order is given: he - to the west ..." He sang it that evening, the last. We never saw him again.
I sent the first short letter home on the seventeenth day of the war. “We are standing in the forest near Pskov. We are waiting for the order. We beat the German hard. I am alive and well. "
In the funeral, which my mother received after the death of Sasha, it was written "Alexey Pankratov". We still hoped: what if it’s not about him. But it was just a slip of the tongue. Soon the Diploma of the Hero of the Soviet Union came ... "
Alexander Pankratov met the Great Patriotic War in the Baltics. He especially distinguished himself in the first battles - during the defense of Siauliai - in the period from 23 to 27 June 1941. At that time, the enemy, suffering heavy losses, continued the offensive. The Nazis were approaching Novgorod. The most combat-ready unit that opposed the Nazis in the battles for the city in August 1941 was the 28th Panzer Division of Colonel Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky Soviet military leader, General of the Army, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, commander of the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front.
Only on August 15, 1941, the soldiers of the 28th Panzer Division repulsed 13 German attacks. However, on August 19, the enemy managed to break into the northeastern outskirts of Novgorod. Intelligence found that the Nazis created an observation post within the walls of the Kirillov Monastery, from where they were correcting artillery fire. On the night of August 24-25, the 125th tank regiment was tasked with secretly crossing the Maly Volkhovets River and taking a sudden blow to seize the monastery.
Reading the award list - the presentation of Alexander Konstantinovich Pankratov to the political commander of the 1st battalion of the 125th tank regiment of the 28th tank division for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, - you feel at what a difficult time it was signed by the regiment commander, Major Kurov, and the regiment commander, senior political instructor Zheleznyakov ... This is evidenced by the content of the document itself, and the language and style. The bonus list is short and sparse. Here is its content:
"Comrade. Pankratov from the beginning of hostilities with German fascism proved himself to be an exceptionally valiant, courageous commander-educator.
He was a participant in every reconnaissance and delivered valuable information about the enemy.
He took part in the attack by the enemy in the town of Spas-Nereditsa, where he shouted "For the Motherland, for Stalin!" led the company into the attack, destroying the German soldiers on the spot, the rest was driven back over the river. M. Volkhovets. During the assault on the St. Cyril Monastery, thanks to its good organization and speed, the company was quietly transferred across the river to the monastery, which was immediately attacked. During the assault on the monastery, the enemy opened strong fire. The enemy's left-flank machine gun did not allow a group of brave men led by Pankratov to enter the location of the monastery, then Pankratov rushed forward on the machine gun, threw a grenade and wounded the machine gunner. The machine gun fell silent for a while. Then he opened furious fire again.
Political instructor Pankratov with exclamations "Forward!" a second time rushed to the machine gun and with his body covered the destructive fire of the enemy, destroying the machine gunner, allowing the company to break through into the monastery.
The death of the hero died comrade. Pankratov in this battle. Having spent all the cartridges and grenades, Comrade. Pankratov leaned on the enemy's machine gun with his chest, depriving him of the opportunity to fire. At the same time, Comrade was killed. Pankratov ".
Yes, in the summer of 1941 there was no time to work on the content, style and language of the award list. There was an inaccuracy in the name of the monastery - not "Kirillovsky", but "Kirillov". Such representations were drawn up like battle reports - short and to the point. And sometimes they wrote, as they say in such cases, on the knee. The main thing was to state the essence of the feat, hoping that they would be able to describe it more emotionally after the war. And so it happened. Essays and stories have been written about the hero-political instructor. But the most valuable of all is precisely this front-line certificate - the award list, on the basis of which the junior political instructor Alexander Pankratov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on March 16, 1942. Posthumously.

10.03.1917 - 24.08.1941
The hero of the USSR

NS Ankratov Alexander Konstantinovich - political instructor of the company of the 125th tank regiment of the 28th tank division of the North-Western Front, junior political instructor; the first of the Soviet soldiers to accomplish the feat, which later became known as "the feat of Alexander Matrosov."
Born on March 10, 1917 in the village of Abakshino, now in the Vologda district of the Vologda region in a peasant family. Russian. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1940. Since 1931, he lived in the regional center of the Vologda region, the city of Vologda, where he graduated from the 7th grade and the school of FZU. He worked as a turner, foreman of a turning and mechanical workshop at the Severny Kommunar plant. He was the chairman of the shop trade union organization, the head of the OSOAVIAKHIM organization.
In the Red Army since 1938. In 1940 he graduated from the Smolensk military-political school. Member of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941.
Political instructor of the company of the 125th Tank Regiment (28th Panzer Division, North-Western Front), junior political instructor Alexander Pankratov during the assault on August 24, 1941 of the Kirillov Monastery, near the village of Spas-Nereditsa, near Novgorod (now - Velikiy Novgorod) with his body he covered the destructive fire of the enemy machine gun, making it possible for the soldiers to break into the enemy's location and destroy his observation post, which was correcting the fire of the batteries.
The brave political instructor was the first of the Soviet soldiers who covered the enemy machine gun with his body and ensured the success of his unit. This is the first documented act of such self-sacrifice. According to various sources, a similar feat during the Great Patriotic War was repeated from two hundred to four hundred people. One hundred thirty-four of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union ...
Have by the kaz of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 16, 1942 for the exemplary fulfillment of the combat missions of the command on the front of the struggle against the Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time to the junior political instructor Pankratov Alexander Konstantinovich posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
He was awarded the Order of Lenin (03/16/1942, posthumously).
An obelisk to the Hero and a memorial plaque were installed in Veliky Novgorod. A school in Vologda, a motor ship, streets in Vologda and Veliky Novgorod are named after Alexander Pankratov.

From the award list of A.K. Pankratova:
Comrade Pankratov from the beginning of hostilities against German fascism proved himself to be an exceptionally valiant, courageous commander and educator.
He was a participant in every reconnaissance and obtained valuable information about the enemy.
During the storming of the St. Cyril Monastery, thanks to its good organization and speed, the company was imperceptibly transferred across the river to the monastery, which was immediately attacked.
During the assault on the monastery, the enemy belatedly opened heavy fire. The enemy's left-flank machine gun did not allow a group of brave men led by Pankratov to enter the location of the monastery. Then Pankratov rushed forward, rushed to the machine gun and closed the embrasure with his body, destroying one of the machine gunners, allowing the company to break through to the monastery and capture the enemy's defensive line with minimal losses.
The death of the hero died Pankratov in this battle. Having used up all the cartridges and grenades, he covered the machine gun with his chest, depriving the enemy of the opportunity to conduct aimed fire ...

Biography provided by Nikolai Ufarkin (1955-2011)

I read the article on the net:

Quote:

For the first time in the Great Patriotic War, Alexander Konstantinovich Pankratov performed the feat of a hero-warrior, covering the embrasure of an enemy bunker with his own body. Alexander Pankratov was the political commander of a tank company of the 125th tank regiment. Komsomolets Alexander Pankratov worked as a turner at the Severny Kommunar plant in Vologda.

Then he volunteered to serve in the army. This happened in October 1938. The guy was sent to the 21st tank brigade, where he successfully graduated from the school for junior commanders, having learned to drive a tank and shoot from its cannon. Then the command sent Alexander to the military-political school in Smolensk, from which he graduated in early 1941, receiving the rank of junior political instructor. War soon broke out.

Alexander was very upset by the failure of the first days of the war. He wrote home: “Mom, do not grieve! We will defeat the fascists anyway, but if I have to die, I will die a hero. " This was Pankratov's real oath, which he gave to his homeland and his own mother. The guy was ready for a feat, and he accomplished it in the battles for Novgorod. It all happened on August 24, 1941.

Our units left Novgorod and withdrew to the east, taking up defenses on the banks of the Maly Volkhovets and Volkhov rivers. The Kirillov Monastery stood here. The Nazis used it as an artillery observation post.

On the night of August 25, the tank regiment, in which Alexander Pankratov served, was tasked with crossing the Maly Volkhovets covertly and capturing the Kirillov Monastery. This task was entrusted to the company, in which Pankratov served as political instructor. His company crossed unnoticed, without firing a shot. Then she began to make her way to the monastery. The Germans saw our soldiers and immediately opened machine-gun fire on them. The company lay down. But Pankratov took a group of daredevils with him and crawled to the monastery. The Nazis discovered them and began to intensively pour lead from the pillbox. The political leader burst out a little ahead, finding himself in a "dead" space. Alexander, squeezing the last grenade-grenade, crawled closer to the embrasure and threw a grenade inside. There was an explosion in the pillbox. Pankratov made a sharp dash to the embrasure and with an exclamation: "Forward, to the attack!" covered the barrel of an enemy machine gun with his body. His company at this time broke through to the monastery.

The homeland highly appreciated the hero's feat. On March 16, 1942, junior political instructor Alexander Pankratov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

As you can see, Alexander Matrosov was far from the first. I read that 58 people had accomplished this feat before him. Who wants to say what about this. It would also not be bad to restore the names of the remaining 57 heroes.
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All people are different.
Treat people as you would like them to do to you.

junior political instructor, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded on March 16, 1942, he was the first in the history of the Great Patriotic War to perform the feat of self-sacrifice (in 1941 he closed the embrasure with his chest)

Date of birth: 03/10/1917
Place of birth: Abakshino village, Oktyabrsky s / s, Vologda region
Date of death: 08.24.1941

(03/10/1917, Abakshino village, Vologda district - 08/24/1941, near Novgorod)

On August 24, 1941, the political instructor of the company of the 125th tank regiment of the 28th tank division of the North-Western Front in the battles near Novgorod rushed to the enemy machine gun and covered the destructive fire of the enemy with his chest. In the history of the Great Patriotic War, this was the first act of such self-sacrifice, which was later repeated by more than 200 soldiers. Alexander Matrosov, whose feat in the fall of 1943 the Soviet press, familiarized with the corresponding order of Stalin, called "an example of valor and heroism for all soldiers", was the 59th who stepped into immortality at the cost of his own life.

Alexander Pankratov was born on March 10, 1917 in the village of Abakshino - now the territory of the Oktyabrsky village council of the Vologda region. The family had four children. They lived in poverty. Having lost his father at the age of five, the boy went through the harsh school of life. He learned to read early, graduated with honors from the Rakhulev primary school, and then the Agafonov school for working youth (now - within the village of Molochnoe). In 1931, Alexander went to Vologda and entered the 7th grade, at the same time taking courses for electricians. At the end of 1934 he graduated from the FZU of the Severny Kommunar plant, specializing in a metal turner. From February 1935 he worked as a turner in the fire-picking shop of the Vologda steam locomotive repair plant, actively participates in the Stakhanov movement, attends the circles of OSOAVIAKHIM.

In October 1938, Alexander Pankratov was drafted into the ranks of the Red Army. Service begins in the 32nd training battalion of the 21st tank brigade, which was stationed in Smolensk. In his company, he was elected secretary of the Komsomol organization, in the evenings he attended classes at the party school. His desire for study and political work was noticed. In August 1939, the young man was sent to Gomel to attend courses for junior political instructors of the Belarusian Military District. As one of the most talented cadets, in January 1940 he was transferred to the Smolensk military-political school. In April 1940 he was admitted to the ranks of the CPSU (b). January 18, 1941 A.K. Pankratov graduated from college and received the military rank - junior political instructor.

Alexander Pankratov met the Great Patriotic War in the Baltics. In the battles for the defense of Siauliai from 23 to 27 June 1941, as stated in the award list, "the junior political officer of the company of the first battalion of the 125th tank regiment showed himself to be an exceptionally conscientious, courageous commander-educator." Meanwhile, the enemy was approaching Novgorod. The most efficient military unit that opposed the Germans in the battles for the city in August 1941 was the 28th Panzer Division of Colonel I. D. Chernyakhovsky - later the famous Soviet military leader. Only on August 15, 1941, the soldiers of the 28th Panzer Division repulsed 13 German attacks. However, on August 19, the enemy managed to break into the northeastern outskirts of Novgorod. Intelligence found that the Germans had set up an observation post within the walls of the Kirillov Monastery, from where they were adjusting their artillery fire. On the night of August 24-25, the 125th tank regiment was tasked with secretly crossing the Maly Volkhovets River and taking a sudden blow to seize the monastery. This task was entrusted to the company of Lieutenant Platonov, in which Alexander Pankratov was the junior political instructor. However, the expectation of surprise did not justify itself, the Nazis met our soldiers with heavy machine-gun fire. The company commander was killed, the soldiers lay down. Assessing the situation, the junior political instructor Pankratov crawled to the enemy machine gun and threw grenades at it. The enemy's machine-gun crew ceased fire for a while, but soon resumed it with renewed vigor. The advance of the soldiers of the company of the junior political instructor Alexander stopped again, many killed and wounded appeared on the battlefield. Then our fellow countryman with an exclamation "Forward!" made a sharp dash towards the enemy embrasure and covered with his chest the barrel of a machine gun belching flame. The company immediately went on the attack and broke into the monastery.

The government highly appreciated the feat of the native of the Vologda land. On March 16, 1942, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

On November 19, 1965, near Novgorod, on the western bank of the Maly Volkhovets River, an obelisk was erected in honor of the feat of Alexander Pankratov. In Vologda, on one of the houses on Pankratova Street, a memorial plaque with a bas-relief of the hero was installed. In front of the building of the former FZU on Chernyshevsky Street, where the museum of vocational education is now located, there is a stele with the inscription: "The Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Konstantinovich Pankratov studied here." The immortal feat of our fellow countryman cannot be forgotten, he forever entered the history of the Great Patriotic War.

Literature:

Vologda residents are Heroes of the Soviet Union. - Vologda, 1959;

Shkaderevich M.I. The immortal feat of Alexander Matrosov. - M., 1973. - S. 63–65;

Legostaev I. Throw into immortality. - Tallinn, 1978;

Recent letters from the front. - M., 1991;

Orlov V.N. Feat in the name of Victory. - Vologda, 2000.

V.B.Konasov

From letters to A.K. Pankratov to his mother Alexandra Nikandrovna Pankratova:

“How quickly time flies. It seems that quite recently he was standing at the machine, but today he has already finished military school... The honored general, whitened with gray hair, shook hands and gave the order: "Take care of your Motherland, we have one!" (I received this letter with a photograph of her son Alexander Nikandrovna in the winter of 1940).

“Don't worry, mom! We will defeat the fascists anyway, and if I have to die, I will die. "

Recent letters from the front. - M., 1991. - pp. 123–124.

From a letter from fellow soldiers of Alexander Pankratov to his mother:“He died the death of a hero, having accomplished an unparalleled feat. The soldiers and commanders of our unit with great love keep in their hearts the name of the glorious hero. "

Orlova V.N. Feat in the name of Victory. - Vologda, 2000 .-- P. 23.

Hero of the Soviet Union I.A. Kaberov:“… After many years, the details of this feat and the name of the hero became known to me. And I also learned that Alexander Pankratov is my fellow countryman. It was the same Sasha Pankratov, with whom we studied together at the FZO school and worked at the Vologda steam locomotive repair plant. "

I.A. Kaberov Swastika in sight. - L .: Lenizdat, 1975. - S. 160.

Alexander Konstantinovich Pankratov- (March 10, 1917, the village of Abakshino, Vologda province - August 24, 1941, Novgorod). Hero of the Soviet Union, junior political instructor of a tank company of the 28th tank division. The first in history to cover an enemy machine gun with his body.

Alexander Pankratov was born in the village of Abakshino, Vologda Oblast. In the family, besides him, three more children were brought up. At the age of five, he lost his father.

He graduated with honors from the Rakhulev primary school, and then - the Agafonov school for working youth. In 1931, A. Pankratov went to Vologda to continue his studies and entered the 7th grade, at the same time studying to be an electrician. In 1934 he graduated from the factory apprenticeship school (FZU) at the Severny Kommunar plant, specialty - metal turner. In February 1935 he got a job in the fire-picking shop of the Vologda steam locomotive repair plant, worked as a turner. Stakhanovite, member of the OSOAVIAKHIM circle.

In October 1938, Pankratov was drafted into the Red Army. Receives a referral to Smolensk, to the 32nd training battalion of the 21st tank brigade. After a while, he became the secretary of the company’s Komsomol organization. The interest in learning attracts the attention of the command. In August 1939 he was sent to Gomel. There Pankratov is taking courses for junior political instructors of the Belarusian Military District. Shows himself from the best side and, as one of the most capable, in January 1940 he received a referral to the Smolensk military-political school. In April of the same year, he joined the ranks of the CPSU (b). On January 18, 1941 A. Pankratov graduated from the school with the military rank of "junior political instructor".

In the days when the Great Patriotic War began, A. Pankratov was in the Baltic States. He was baptized by fire near Šiauliai from 23 to 27 June 1941. In the battles for the defense of Novgorod in August 1941, he fought in the 28th Panzer Division under the command of Colonel I. D. Chernyakhovsky. Apart from the city itself, the Kirillov Monastery, which is separately standing on the right bank of the Volkhov, has become a springboard for heavy battles. High monastery buildings served as a convenient point for adjusting fire on the positions of the Red Army. On the night of 24 to 25 August, the 125th Tank Regiment launched a covert attack on the monastery, crossing the Maly Volkhovets River. However, the German side was ready for this and met the Red Army soldiers with a dense defense. The commander of the tank company, Lieutenant Platonov, was killed and the attack stopped. The junior political instructor Pankratov managed to crawl to the enemy machine gun. With the help of several grenades, he tried to destroy the firing point, but the attempt was unsuccessful - after a while the machine gun resumed firing. The advance of the soldiers under heavy fire was impossible without numerous losses. Then the political instructor Pankratov rushed to the enemy machine gun and closed it with himself. This allowed the fighters to get a few seconds for the decisive throw. The company, having risen to the attack, managed to break into the Kirillov Monastery and capture it.

A feat of this kind was the first in the history of the Great Patriotic War. Soviet propaganda undeservedly kept silent about him long years and it was believed that the first hero to commit such a self-sacrifice was on February 27, 1943, Alexander Matrosov. Today it is known that more than 400 people performed a similar feat during the war, 58 of them before Alexander Matrosov.