Ilya Kaverin

Ilya Ananevich Kaverin (Russian: Илья Ананьевич Каверин; 15 May 1910 – 19 November 1963) was a Red Army senior sergeant and Hero of the Soviet Union. Kaverin was awarded the title for reportedly resisting German troops from his burned-out tank during the Battle of Kiev in 1943. He reportedly killed 30 German soldiers. After the war Kaverin was demobilized and returned to his native Astara.[1]

Ilya Ananevich Kaverin
Native name
Илья Ананьевич Каверин
Born15 May 1910
Astara, Lankaran Uyezd, Baku Governorate, Russian Empire
Died19 November 1963
Astara
Allegiance Soviet Union
Service/branchRed Army
Years of service1941–45
RankSenior sergeant
Unit9th Mechanized Corps
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsHero of the Soviet Union

Early life

Kaverin was born on 15 May 1910 in Astara to a fisherman's family. He received primary education and worked as a fisherman.[1][2][3][4]

World War II

In 1941, Kaverin was drafted into the Red Army. He fought in the Battle of the Caucasus. In November 1943, he fought in the Battle of Kiev. Kaverin was a tank driver in the 74th Tank Regiment of the 71st Mechanized Brigade in the 9th Mechanized Corps. His tank reportedly broke through German lines but suffered a hit on its turret, killing the commander, gunner and signaller. Kaverin was reportedly the only survivor in the burning tank. He reportedly extinguished the flames and with a machine gun and grenades repulsed ten German attacks over the next days. Kaverin reportedly killed 30 German soldiers and after running out of ammunition returned to Soviet lines under cover of darkness. During the later battle for the village of Khotiv, Kaverin's tank reportedly destroyed a German infantry platoon and 12 vehicles. For his actions he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin on 10 January 1944.[1][2][5][4]

In 1944, he joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.[2][4] On 14 May 1945 Kaverin was awarded the Order of the Red Star for his actions in the Battle of Berlin.[6]

Postwar

Kaverin was discharged with the end of the war with the rank of senior sergeant. He returned to Astara and worked on the Kitabinskom state farm. He died on 19 November 1963 and was buried in Astara.[1][2][4]

References
  1. "Ilya Kaverin". warheroes.ru (in Russian).
  2. Золотые Звезды Азербайджана [Gold Stars of Azerbaijan] (in Russian). Baku: Azerbaijan SSR Academy of Sciences Institute of History. 1975. pp. 126–127.
  3. Gerasimov, Anar (28 April 2015). "Подвиг Каверина – сына рыбака из Астары" [Feat of Kaverin – Son of an Astara fisherman]. AZERROS (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  4. Shkadov, Ivan, ed. (1987). Герои Советского Союза: Краткий биографический словарь [Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary] (in Russian). 1 Abaev-Lubitsch. Moscow: Voenizdat.
  5. Hero of the Soviet Union citation, available online at pamyat-naroda.ru
  6. Order No. 94, 9th Mechanized Corps, available online at pamyat-naroda.ru
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