Alexander Nikolaevich
Elagin
1922-1992
Alexander Nikolaevich Elagin was a captain of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, a participant of the Great Patriotic War and the Hero of the Soviet Union. He graduated a tank school. As a tank commander, he fought near the city of Rzhev, where he was wounded twice. Since 1944 he served in self-propelled artillery units, participated in the liberation of Romania. He commanded a self-propelled artillery installation of the 251st Guards self-propelled Artillery Regiment of the 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps of the 46th Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front in October 1944. He distinguished himself during the liberation of Hungary. During the battles for the city of Kechkemet, Elagin and his crew destroyed more than ten enemy tanks and the Ferdinand self-propelled gun. Elagin conducted reconnaissance of enemy defence during the storming of Budapest in December 1944. The driver-mechanic was seriously injured and then Elagin began to drive the vehicle, taking it out of the fire. He managed to bring the installation to the Soviet troops despite the fact that he was wounded twice. Elagin went to the flank of the enemy battery and destroyed it on the outskirts of Gyor in March 1945. Having simulated the damage, Elagin waited until the enemy assault guns came closer and opened fire on them, destroying 6 tanks, 3 assault guns, several machine guns and killing about a company of enemy infantry. He was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal for his feat.
Address: Moscow, Zelenograd, 5th microdistrict, building 504
