4th class St. George Order of Colonel Pavel Timofeevich Akutin

Interesting privately-comissioned cross that was made using a base originally intended for the order of St. Anna. Another example of such cross https://asiamedals.info/threads/4th-class-st-george-order-of-nikolay-leonidovich-vladislavsky.25691/.

Gold, enamel.

Marks are unreadable.

Ring and guilloché that are typical for Saint Anna crosses.

Judging by iconography this cross is belonging to the "Brylov family" https://asiamedals.info/threads/ord...leksandr-brylov-marked-a-b.26589/#post-360990.

 

Pavel Timofeevich was awarded 4th class Saint George order on October 6, 1915.

"In recognition of the outstanding courage and bravery you have shown in action against the enemy... for the fact that in the battle on February 1, 1915, near the village of Seneczów, commanding a company, you received orders to seize an important unnamed height on the ridge 948; under the heaviest artillery and machine gun fire you attacked the height, drove the Germans out of the trenches, took cover on the height and held it for yourself, repelling all enemy counterattacks."

"В воздаяние отличного мужества и храбрости, оказанных вами в делах против неприятеля ... за то, что в бою 1-го Февраля 1915 года y села Сенечув, командуя ротой, получили приказание овладеть имевшей важное значение безымянной высотой на гребне 948; под сильнейшим артиллерийским и пулемётным огнём атаковали высоту, выбили немцев из окопов, укрылись на высоте и удерживали её за собою, отразив все контратаки противника".​

Original award document.

 

In this photo Pavel Timofeevich Akutin is wearing the very same cross.

His "Kapitul" (i.e. officially issued) cross Pavel Timofeevich presented to Andrey Evgenievich Snesarev /Андрей Евгеньевич Снесарев/ in June 1916.

"...Pavel Timof[eevich] [Akutin] gave me his official St. George's Cross, but I haven't worn it yet. The ribbon hasn't been sewn onto my coat yet... we're always fighting and have no time ...".

"...Павел Тимоф[еевич] [Акутин] подарил мне своего казенного Георгия, но я его еще не надевал. На шинель еще ленту не пришили... все воюем и некогда..."

Source: Андрей Евгеньевич Снесарев "Письма с фронта 1914-1917"/Andrey Evgenievich Snesarev "Letters from the Front 1914-1917" (letter to his wife written on June 24, 1916).

 

Pavel Timofeevich Akutin (Павел Тимофеевич Акутин; June 22 (July 4), 1885, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire – December 16, 1947, Helsinki , Finland) was born on June 22 (July 4), 1885 in St. Petersburg (Sablino station) in the family of collegiate registrar Timofey Konstantinovich Akutin.

In 1907 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Infantry Cadet School. On January 1, 1909, he was listed as a second lieutenant in the battalion of the 6th Turkestan Rifle Regiment (Samarkand).

During World War I he was a staff captain of the 8th Finnish Rifle Regiment. He was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th class and the St. George weapon on November 21, 1915.

With the rank of captain, he entered the accelerated course of the Military Academy (1917; 2nd line). He held the position of acting senior adjutant of the staff of the 2nd Finnish Rifle Division. Later, he returned to Petrograd to study in the senior class of the accelerated courses of the Military Academy (from 05.0?.1917). In 1918, he completed the courses and, by order of the General Staff No. 22 of March 23, 1918, he was assigned to the General Staff. On June 27, 1918, by order of the All-Russian General Staff No. 18, he was transferred to the General Staff.

In 1918 he voluntarily joined the Red Army. He was assigned to the headquarters of the Northern Section and the Petrograd District.

Later he was in the White troops of the Northern Front, where from November 20, 1918 he was the commander of the Pinezhsky partisan detachments, then the 3rd Northern Rifle Regiment (from March 1919 - lieutenant colonel , and from April 1919 - colonel).

On April 28, 1919 he was awarded the British Military Order "For Distinguished Service".

Until September 2, 1919, he was the commander of the Zheleznodorozhny District troops, and from October 1919 to February 1920, he was the commander of the 6th Northern Rifle Regiment.

On October 28, 1919 he was awarded the 4th class Order of St. Vladimir with swords and bow.

He was a member of the Georgievsk Duma of the Northern Region (chaired by N.A. Brzhozovsky).

He emigrated to Norway and then to Finland, where he lived until the end of his life.

He died on December 16, 1947 and was buried in the Orthodox cemetery in Helsinki in the Lapinlahti district.​

 

Pavel Timofeevich Akutin's DSC together with his 4th class Saint George order.