How a village miller became a legend of the Great Patriotic War

From grinding grain to defying death in Sevastopol and East Prussia. His story reveals how ordinary men became legends in war’s darkest hours.

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2025 November 20 . 7:21 AM

1 min read

In the image there is a book with army tank and jeeps on it, it seems like a war along with a text... — In the image there is a book with army tank and jeeps on it, it seems like a war along with a text above it.

How a village miller became a legend of the Great Patriotic War

Sergei Grigoryevich Bekmeshov, a soldier from the village of Diveyevo, became one of the few to earn all three classes of the Order of Glory during the Great Patriotic War. Born in 1912 with only four years of schooling, he left behind his job as a miller to serve in the Red Army after being drafted in July 1941.

Bekmeshov began his military service on the Leningrad Front. He fought through some of the war’s harshest battles, earning his first recognition—the 3rd Class Order of Glory—for his bravery during the liberation of Sevastopol.

Bekmeshov’s military career spanned from the Siege of Leningrad to the final push into East Prussia. His awards—including all three classes of the Order of Glory—marked his exceptional courage and dedication. He remains remembered as one of the war’s most decorated soldiers from Diveyevo.