WWII Russian ‘Order of the Patriotic War’ 2nd Class Medal and Owners Certificate. N 181. WWII Russian ‘Order of the Patriotic War’ 2nd Class Medal and Owners Certificate. . N 181. Antiques & Militaria

The Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known since the mid-1960s in the former Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War. The Order was established on 20 May 1942[1] and came in first class and second class depending upon the merit of the deed. It was the first Soviet order established during the war, and the first Soviet order divided into classes.[2] Its statute precisely defined, which deeds are awarded with the order, e.g. shooting down three aircraft as a fighter pilot, or destroying two heavy or three medium or four light tanks, or capturing a warship, or repairing an aircraft under fire after landing on a hostile territory, and so on, were awarded with the first class. It features a red enamel five-pointed star, made of silver, with straight rays in the background, and crossed sabre and a Mosin rifle. The rays in the background are golden for 1st Class and silver for 2nd Class. The central disc has a golden hammer and sickle on a red enamel background, surrounded by a white enamel ring with the words ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННАЯ ВОЙНА ("Patriotic War"). It is accompanied by an original certificate/booklet of ownership. This 2nd class version is in excellent order with no marks to the enamel and the back plate in place numbered ‘3983928’ with matching numbers to the booklet. The price includes UK delivery. N 181.