Med's Thread

[Medvedya]

Yes - I'm still alive! Just been rather busy of late. Recently myself and my group went to St. Petersburg, where as you can see in the link we took part in a reenactment of the breaking of the Leningrad Blockade, done in the grounds of the Artillery Museum.

It was about -12 when the pictures were taken, although that didn't put us off for a moment, and our hosts had laid on chai e kasha for us after!

Around 2500 people showed up to see us and the Russian groups, and all in all, it was an amazing event, and we also ended up on Russian national television!

Later on that evening we had the honour to have supper with a group of veterans, one of whom was a Artillery Colonel (Polkovnik) and who fought in both the Winter War and during the siege, and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Anyway, here are the pictures on the groups website.

2006 St.Petersburg unit Trip - 2nd Guards Rifle Division

 

[lesofprimus]

Jesus Christ, its ALIVE!!!!

 

[Pisis]

great to hear from you Medved!

 

[Gnomey]

great to hear from you Medved!

Yep. Long time...

 

[evangilder]

Great stuff, Med! That looks really cold. Welcome back.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Good stuff Med. Long time no see.

 

[Medvedya]

Hmm, well it's my thread, so I guess I can shamlessly plug my group here - our next event that people can see us at is on the 16th to the 17th April, and is at Fort Nelson in Portsmouth.

http://www.royalarmouries.org/extsite/view.jsp?sectionId=2580

Now despite what it says, there won't be a Commisar - we would have to be at Battalion strength to warrant that! However, there will be a NKVD Stareii Serzhant manning our desk.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello Med... nice to see you again. And very nice pics you got! URAAA! 8)

You do know me... you invited me here a long time ago, but I refused... I live "Up here"...

Updated my pics a bit, if you want to see them, check our CoD forums, OT...

 

[Medvedya]

We were in your home town for a couple of hours you know... I was thinking of buying a Moomin mug in one of the department stores on the main high street down from the railway station. But I'd already spent almost every Rouble and Euro I had by then!

 

[Anonymous]

Damn you, I should've been more active around here I guess... when was it? Dammit, we could've met...

Well, how did you like it here?

 

[Medvedya]

We were only in Tampere for a night on the 26th of January and returned to catch the flight home on the 30th so we really didn't stay long. We also went to the Tank Museum in Hattula where I bought two DP-27 mags (how I got them through security at both ends still amazes me).

Although had I the choice, I would have prefered to take a nice Finnish girl back with me instead - schwing!

 

[Medvedya]

Well, here is a picture of my NKVD post at Fort Nelson, complete with an interpreter (since I speak to the public in Russian) and a Krasniarmyets guard with a PPSh.

 

[lesofprimus]

Both u and the dude standing look THRILLED to be there....

 

[Medvedya]

Ah, we're just showing the public what the customs control point was like at the Russian/Finnish border - grumpy demeanors all round!

 

[evangilder]

Cool shot, Med! I bet that would look interesting in black and white.

 

[Pisis]

Cool. But the site you posted says the usual "Page not found"

Both u and the dude standing look THRILLED to be there....

 

[Medvedya]

Ah, because the show is now long over - it was just a page with information for the Fort Nelson event.

Everyone is more than welcome to have a look at the groups website www.2ndguards.com which has pictures, listings of events, and contact details if you'd like to join us!

Obviously people overseas would have a task getting to events, unless they were a multi-millionare and owned their own private jet! (please refer to the above if you are) - however, if you'd like to support the group anyway, I think off the top of my head it's about £10 for the year as a non participating member, and you'd receive our bimonthly newsletter.

 

[Clave]

I wouldn't mind having an interesting life, it would make a change..

 

[Medvedya]

A group picture of all who went out to St. Petersburg.

Medical clerk processing walking wounded at an Aid station.

Picture of us cooking (well, others cooking whilst the neighbourhood NKVD man looks on) at Detling...

Tank riders.... (pictures taken by Stuart Gould - a professional photographer)

More pictures of the 2nd Guards can be found here....

Gallery 1 - 2nd Guards Rifle Division

 

[evangilder]

Cool stuff, Med. Sounds like you are having quite a time with that.